Saturday, February 16, 2019

Why? Because before long we’re going to have a lot of plates spinning in the air and banning plastic straws is just another distraction we don’t need.

Let’s pause momentarily, we’ll get back to “grasping at plastic straws” a little later in this blog post.

Whilst on the topic of distractions. . .

UPDATE!

There is very good and very bad news to report.

The good news is this City of Lake Worth only has two Commission meetings prior to election day on March 12th: they are next Tuesday (Feb. 19th, 6:00) and on March 5th. The issue of banning plastic straws IS NOT on the Feb. 19th agenda! So keep your fingers crossed we can make it past March 5th without any more additional distractions.

The one distraction at the Lake Worth City Commission meeting next week is enough. Following the agenda item about Flolfie it looks to be a very business-like meeting at City Hall.

The very bad news is the City of Delray Beach may want to consider un-banning plastic straws. You see, it ends up Delray has a much bigger issue to address: the annual nuisance flooding has gotten to the point where it must be addressed. It’s not a ‘nuisance’ any more.

Palm Beach Post reporter Lulu Ramadan (see link below) reported this flooding problem is “unbelievably large”. Like to the tune of three hundred and seventy-eight million dollars. As in USD 378M. As in an astronomical amount of dollars. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that future technology could find a way to re-purpose recyclables in addition to “[I]ncluding seeking grants from the state or federal government or issuing bonds that tax dollars would pay back over time.” An unbelievably large problem like this will need solutions not even possible yet, like re-purposing plastic straws.

Also below is news in the Sun Sentinel about this issue in Delray Beach.

Now let’s get back to the Lake Worth City Commission: Please. Stop grasping at plastic straws!

Very good and very important things are happening in this City of Lake Worth. The Downtown may very well get a new parking garage, the Neighborhood Road Bond is as popular as ever, and we have very hard decisions to make about proceeds from the County’s ¢1 sales tax increase that passed by referendum in 2016 and crime is down significantly and a whole lot of other good news too.

To our elected leaders. When you asked the people to speak the people did. In Nov. 2016 by a whopping sixty-nine percent the people said to focus your efforts on our streets and infrastructure.

And there is potentially some very good news about the Gulfstream Hotel too!

See the newspaper clipping below from this week’s Lake Worth Herald.

So this is no time for our elected leaders to be quibbling about a ban on plastic straws. Banning plastic straws is just a silly cliché any more anyway. And just because Delray did it does that mean the City of Lake Worth has to do it too? Why can’t this City come up with a better way to show our respect for Planet Earth than the trite act of banning the lowly plastic straw? Why not aim higher?

What this City of Lake Worth should do is support our LOCAL economy in Palm Beach County, promote something truly sustainable, will actually help to save the environment and educate the public too about the importance of reducing the use of plastic in our City.

Petrolia [Mayor Shelly Petrolia] said Frankel [Congresswoman Lois Frankel (D)] wants to review Delray Beach’s report to see how she can help the many coastal towns in her Palm Beach County district. Giving her an early look at Delray’s could better position the city for federal funding, Petrolia said.

In conclusion, are you ready for some very good news from the City of Lake Worth? Well, here it is:

This City of Lake Worth needs to focus on our infrastructure and preparing for future development.

Forget about plastic straws and focus moreon all those spinning plates!

From the front page of The Lake Worth Herald. Before long our City may have a ‘lot more on our plate’ so to speak and these are the kind of plates we need to be promoting in this City.

First, something “Worth Noting” for Lake Worth City Hall: There are only twenty-eight (28) days in February this year.

What is not of issue are these boards: The Community
Redevelopment Agency, Historic Resources Preservation Board and the
Planning & Zoning Board. Although some may have a problem with a
particular decision these boards do tremendous work month after month.

The issue about volunteer boards is not about the volunteers. The issue is about whether or not it’s time to reevaluate the role of certain boards, maybe eliminate some or create others, and refocus on the goals and objectives of volunteer boards.

Next Tuesday the City Commission and the Lake Worth Electric Utility (LWEU) will be taking on the future role, if any, for the Electric Utility Advisory Board (EUAB). Below is Item 8C on the Commission/LWEU agenda, a meeting to be held in City Hall next Tuesday. This meeting follows the regularly scheduled meeting of the City Commission which starts at 6:00.

Later on this year will be the bigger job for the Commission, administration and City staff. Evaluating and examining a whole lot of other volunteer boards at City Hall. See that list of boards below.

The regular Commission meeting next week has a short agenda and should not take long. To look over both agendas click on this link and scroll down for the meetings dated “February 29” which of course should read “February 19”. Maybe somebody at City Hall thinks this year is the Leap Year. It’s not. The next Leap Year is in 2020.

Note that after next Tuesday coming up on March 5th there will be one last City Commission meeting prior to Election Day on March 12th. So it is a real possibility that discussion about banning plastic straws will come back before the Commission again. But let’s all hope not. It’s time to stop grasping at plastic straws and come up with some better ideas.

After the City Commission figures out what to do with the EUAB next week, then later on in the year will be this topic. What to do with these volunteer advisory boards?

C-51 Canal Advisory Committee (CAC).

Citizen’s Advisory Committee – 2016 Bond Referendum (CAC-BR).

Finance Advisory Board (FAB).

Library Board.

Recreation Advisory Board (RAB).

Tree Board.

Every board listed above has problems. Not making quorum, missing meeting minutes (the FAB has no minutes for all of 2018), the CAC hasn’t met in two years, the CAC-BR can’t round up enough members to have a meeting, the Library Board is a mystery, the RAB is now bi-monthly, we think, and the Tree Board is out there waging a war against palm trees which are not trees but the public loves them anyhow.

One can see why the public may want our City Commission to take a look at this topic.

Every elected on the City Commission has had issues with one or many of the boards listed above. Either about overreach, not focusing on what their mission is, or just wondering out loud what a particular board does specifically or in general.

Questions: Should volunteer boards come before the City Commission every two years or so to justify what they do? Should boards be automatically sunset if they can’t reach a quorum regularly? Should volunteer boards have an end date, need to be reconstituted on occasion, or just go on forever?

This will be a very interesting discussion and debate coming up, maybe at a City Commission work session to be scheduled later this year.

Summary: This ordinance reconstitutes the Electric Utility Advisory Board to be consistent with the City Commission’s
more active role in Electric Utility issues while maintaining the Board as an ad hoc advisory board on electric
utility issues. [emphasis added]

Background and Justification: In 2012, the City Commission created the City’s Electric Utility Advisory Board (EUAB) to advise the City
Commission, on behalf of the City’s citizens and residents, on electric utility policies, plans and programs.
While the EUAB has provided invaluable advisory assistance to the City Commission in the past, the purpose
and duties of the EUAB should shift with the City Commission’s desire to pursue a more active role in electric
utility policies, plans and programs including the creation of a monthly City Commission meeting dedicated
solely to electric utility issues.

Currently, the EUAB is a seven-member board, which is required to have monthly meetings. If the EUAB is
reconstituted as proposed by this ordinance, it will become a five member, ad hoc advisory board that can
more efficiently assist the Electric Utility Director and City Commission on electric utility matters on an as needed
basis.

All current members of the EUAB are serving as de facto board members with expired terms. If this ordinance is
approved on second reading, the City Commission will need to appoint five new board members to serve on the
reconstituted EUAB.

Following discussion at City Hall next Tuesday there will be a move to approve or not approve Ordinance No. 2019-03.

Stay tuned as they say about the future of the EUAB. We’ll get the answer next Tuesday evening. Or maybe not. Maybe it will come back after March 12th, Election Day.

If you wish to learn more about this Beautiful property refer to the Post print edition on Thursday, February 7th (or use the online print edition) and go to p. B10, above the fold in the fifth column.

To better understand where this vacant lot is located in West Palm, at the corner of 21st St. and Dixie Hwy. is the Pleasant City Elementary School. To see the vacant lot on Beautiful Ave. head west on 21st St. past Spruce Ave. and 2115 Beautiful will be on the left (south side of 21st St.) at the corner of 21st and Beautiful.

If you come up to A E Isaacs Ave. you went too far.

By the way, is 2115 Beautiful being considered for a neighborhood public park by the West Palm CRA? Will all the shade trees be kept safe from damage going forward? Are there any gopher tortoise burrows? How will the neighbors be impacted by future development? These are important questions. Future development will certainly impact the community.

Before the West Palm CRA disposes of the property on Beautiful Ave. should a series of neighborhood charrettes be held? Does the public in this neighborhood even know this property is being disposed of? Maybe a reporter from WPTV will try and find answers to these questions.

And please note all potential investors and developers. The City of West Palm ‘Beach’ does not have a beach. Really, it’s true. They don’t. But if you are looking to invest in a municipality that actually does have a beach on the Atlantic Ocean please consider contacting the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in the City of Lake Worth, a municipality located directly to the south of West Palm.

The Lake Worth CRA has many fabulously beautiful properties you may be interested in looking at. And word is the CRA in partnership with the City of Lake Worth will be constructing a new parking garage in the Downtown which is certainly good news for the business community and future investors.

Maybe this blog post today will inspire the event coordinator at Palm Beach State College in suburban Lake Worth to invite speaker Al Tompkins back to give another presentation. Who is Al Tompkins? Please continue reading to find out.

It is worth noting political FREE SPEECH does not require truth but truth can certainly help make one’s case to the voters. Many of you will recall the TV ad by President Barack Obama’s campaign organization back in 2012.

That one ad ensured the re-election of President Obama who would remain the 44th President of the United States.

Don’t recall that ad? Learn more below.

Because this blog is mostly about the City of Lake Worth and nearby municipalities and suburban areas too it is of interest how unusual the situation in Lake Worth this year: this year is the rare “slow play” election. Think of a one-mile track race. Sometimes runners take off fast from the start. Other times it’s slow and jockeying for position for the final sprint, the ‘slow play’. Only time will tell who had the best strategy and maybe a late-February surprise. See one of those surprises a little later. One that ended up in mailboxes all over the City.

However, briefly on LOCAL politics and political FREE SPEECH the City of Lake Worth has nonpartisan elections as per the City Charter. And most candidates follow this rule, successfully avoiding the dysfunctional politics on the state and Federal level. There is no real penalty for breaking this rule. Except having to face the voters on Election Day.

Now back to FREE SPEECH and politics.

The only thing required on a TV ad or a mailer by any candidate for political office is a disclaimer. Period. Everything else is FREE SPEECH.

But FREE SPEECH goes both ways and using loaded language can end up damaging a campaign beyond repair. Because of the required disclaimer the voters will be informed who that FREE SPEECH actually came from and vote accordingly.

An example of a required disclaimer is later in this blog post.

Back in August 2016 Al Tompkins from the Poynter Institute was invited to Palm Beach State College to give a presentation about the press and news media. This was just a few months prior to the November General Election.

Mr. Tompkins was never invited back.

But maybe he will be invited back to Palm Beach County some time prior to the Primary and General Election in 2020.

One of Tompkins’ major points was,

The public needs to sort out what’s accurate and what’s true. And voters need to be responsible in understanding how they are being persuaded.

Is there a map showing where all the communities still on septic are located? How many homes are still on septic in the City of Lake Worth? How many septic tanks are there in suburban areas in near proximity to Lake Osborne? Could the lake and feeder canals be at risk of a slimy toxic blue-green algae bloom?

Below is more information about this situation.

The good news is there is a map being compiled for the location of all septic tanks in our City and suburban areas. So stay tuned for that information. In the meantime. . .

Septic tanks in City of Lake Worth and suburban areas west near the County’s John Prince Park and our local treasure: Lake Osborne.

There is more good news to pass on.

From a City Commission meeting last March we learned from Lake Worth’s Water Utilities Director, Mr. Brian Shields, P.E., that the last of five properties still on septic in a small area in the northwestern area of the City, east of I-95, will have the opportunity to tie into the City sewer system without an assessment, which is very good news for those property owners.

You can watch and listen to Dir. Shields and the City Commission for yourself in the video below, courtesy of the City of Lake Worth.

This is happening because the Meritage Homes housing development, to the north of that tiny area still on septic, is doing their own underground sewer line work, using their own contractor — and the City will not have to go out and find their own contractor to do the work — which in some cases can be a very long and costly process. Plus once this sewer line work is complete, the water lines will be fixed if needed, or replaced, and the road can then be upgraded using the Neighborhood Road Bond program.

The situation west of I-95 in this City, east of John Prince Park and in the nearby suburban (unincorporated) Lake Worth areas, it appears to be a much different situation. There was concern expressed that septic tanks may be reaching that point in time when they no longer work properly, or maybe already are leaking sewage into the high water tables in that area, which would pose an environmental threat to Lake Osborne located in the County’s John Prince Park.

Lake Worth Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso requested a map be produced by the Lake Worth Water Utility to show exactly where all of these septic tanks are located. That map has not yet been completed but should be forthcoming in the near future.

Please note: Mr. Shields begins his presentation at the 31:30 mark in this video (if for some reason thevideo doesn’t begin at that point):

Hope you found the information above helpful, especially if the environment, infrastructure, and public health is very important to you and your family.

Now let’s digress for a moment. . .

Whilst on the topic of water, below is more information for everyone planning a future visit to South Florida, maybe already planning your Winter event schedule, and especially families frightened by the poor, unhealthy water quality in the St. Lucie River and lagoon to the east. . .

Plan your visit to the City of Lake Worth in Palm Beach County to play, fish, canoe, and kayak in our Lake Worth Lagoon!

There is news below about the Lake Worth Lagoon (aka, the Intracoastal Waterway) from reporter Willie Howard, who many of you will recall was formerly a beat reporter at The Palm BeachPost, who covered the City of Lake Worth beat for many years.

Many of you will be pleased to learn Mr. Howard is a reporter for The Coastal Star and he recently took home a first- and second-place award for “Excellence in Journalism”. The Coastal Star collected, “[S]ix first-, three second- and six third-place awards in the 66th annual Excellence in Journalism Competition sponsored by the Florida Press Club.”

Mr. Howard won a first-place award in the category of “Sports” and “Environmental News”. To read the entire article titled, “Along the Coast: A raft of press awards for The Coastal Star” click on this link.

Anglers fishing around the islands of the central lagoon can catch snook, mangrove snapper, barracuda, sheepshead and small bait fish along with the occasional redfish and spotted sea trout. Restoration islands near the Lake Avenue Bridge include the Snook Islands project, completed in 2005 (and later expanded); the two Grassy Flats islands on the east side of the lagoon near the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course; Bryant Park Wetlands islands south of the bridge near Lake Worth’s Bryant Park; and the Jewel Cove project southeast of the bridge across from Lake Worth Beach. To date, the county has overseen 49 environmental restoration projects in the Lake Worth Lagoon, the 20-mile-long estuary that stretches from Ocean Ridge to North Palm Beach.

Today we’re discovering a city that’s not just hip — it’s historic too! Of course, we’re talking about the City of Lake Worth or L-Dub as the kids call it. We’ll jump into the city’s happening arts scene, visit an ocean front restaurant with postcard perfect views and check out an historic playhouse that JUST may be haunted. Are you ready? Then let’s go — On the Town in The Palm Beaches.

Friday, February 15, 2019

The City needs board members, football coaches and cheer coaching.

For more information contact Nicole Bohannon at the City’s Recreation Division. Call and leave a message at 561-533-7363 or send an email to: nbohannon@lakeworth.org

The Recreation Division is located at 1515 Wingfield St. To learn more about what programs are available click on this link.

It’s time to get those young athletes ready to play and cheer for Jaguars in our proud City of Lake Worth!

For football players and cheer ages 4–15.

This football program is,

“[A] non-profit, recreation-oriented youth program that relies heavily on athletics and recreational activities to create and cement the bond between the adult volunteers and the youth in the community.”

“[T]here is no debate aboutthe result.”

The short excerpt above is from a recent quote (see below) by the editor at The Palm Beach Post.

In the Post is just the latest of observations and acknowledgements by the editors, staff writers and beat reporters about the effectiveness of Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, PBSO, and all the volunteers who have made such a big impact on the quality of life here in Central Palm Beach County (CPBC).

It’s important to remember there are now six (6) cities, towns, and villages in CPBC — including all those vast areas of unincorporated CPBC — that have PBSO as their LOCAL law enforcement agency:

From just east of the Herbert Hoover Dike to the malls of Wellington and onward to the east, to the bright Shores of L-Dub!

Below, at the end of this blog post, are the instructions. Everything you need to know about, “How to become a volunteer for PBSO”.

Volunteers are making a huge impact on public safety in neighborhoods and communities from the Glades region in CPBC to the villages of Wellington and Royal Palm Beach eastward into suburban (unincorporated) Lake Worth, in the fine City of Greenacres as well and eastward still into the ‘Quirky’ City of Lake Worth “with a capital Q” where no one quibbles or quips annoyingly of the quizzicalities any more about merging with PBSO ten years ago.

In short, the quixotically-challenged have fallen into their own quicksilver of false quintessence. So quick quivering all you malcontents and quibblers!

Everyone has noticed the result of all those volunteers. Even The Palm Beach Post. For example, on the merge with PBSO in the City of Greenacres,

“[T]here is no debate about the result. Overall crime is down, and available law-enforcement resources are far better.” [emphasis added] —Quote. Editor at The Palm Beach Post, March 10th, 2018.

Also recently on this topic, the editor at the Post recently praised PBSO Sheriff Ric Bradshaw who “smartly requested $1.8 million to hire 15 entry-level deputies” applying for a highly coveted federal grant for COPS: Community Oriented Policing Services.

This program is,

“[T]he component of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing . . . through information and grant resources.”

Do you or someone you know have time tovolunteer with PBSO?

Then contact PBSO’s Volunteer Headquarters or the Neighborhood Assoc. Presidents’ Council (NAPC; see below for contact information):

Neighbors walked the streets with PBSO reminding residents that, “No tip is too small”, you can remain anonymous (no fear of retribution), and collect a reward for solving a crime even homicides from past years. Do you remember Thomas Altman? Tyler Etue? Woodley Erilas?

Who are the candidates in ascendance?Who is falling behind?

And what about the two referendums on the ballot? Learn more about all of these questions below.

To help inform the electorate about the candidates and the issues Yours Truly tries to attend as many candidate forums as possible and take video when I can. At the end of this blog post today is video taken at the South Palm
Park neighborhood candidate forum held last Monday evening.

These YouTube videos are from a standard Panasonic Lumix on a tripod and are not always the best quality. But The Palm Beach Post has never once complained about that, especially when it comes to finding a good pull quote from a candidate they like or don’t like.

All of the candidates attended the forum last Monday except for William Joseph in the District 4 race. Would encourage everyone interested in the upcoming elections to watch these videos. And of note there are candidate forums coming up on Monday, Feb. 18th and the 25th and on March 7th too. So check back later on for more details about that.

Now moving on.

If you thought you knew which candidate on the ballot would win or lose on Election Day you may want to reconsider after the latest round of campaign treasurer reports that were turned in, scheduled reports which are required for each and every candidate.

Except for Commissioner Omari Hardy all of the latest treasurer reports have been posted on the City’s website (see below). There is nothing at all nefarious about Hardy’s treasurer report not being posted yet. It could be up later on today or tomorrow.

First up today: The two referenda on the March 12th ballot.

The first question, “Question #1”.

It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Question #1 on the ballot, “Name Change to the City of Lake Worth Beach” will most certainly fail. The only real question is by how much.

The amount of opposition to this name change from former residents and their descendants west of this City, many of whom with wealth gained from this City prior to moving out west, are strongly opposed to any name change and the generational divide in this City, old vs. young, is not helping either. For an explanation about all that click on this link.

Now to “Question #2”:

Question #2 on the ballot next month is, “Sale of downtown property to improve infrastructure and enhance redevelopment”. Here is the ballot language:

In order to improve downtown infrastructure and enhance redevelopment, shall the City of Lake Worth be authorized to sell City property at 501 Lake Avenue in downtown Lake Worth with all proceeds used exclusively within downtown Lake Worth?

Question #2 seemed certain to pass until the Lake Worth City Commission meeting on January 5th. Now once again we’re in the position of having to rely on the City to get the facts out to the voters prior to Election Day. And once again, the usual suspects are employing an oft-used tactic to try and confuse the public just weeks before an election.

One would think this tactic would get tired after 20–30 years. But sadly, it still works and could easily swing 5–10% of the “Yes” voters the other way.

Having a local newspaper like the Herald certainly helps but so few people read newspapers any more. What this City really needs is a Facebook page. But, “Oh, it’s coming! Oh, it’s coming!” gets a little old after a few years. So don’t expect any surprises from this City when it comes any new tools in the toolbox for public information officer Ben Kerr.

The sale of public property at 501 Lake Ave. will most certainly be used by those critics of a new parking garage in the Downtown. That these are two different locations in the Downtown will not matter a whit to the critics who don’t like facts getting in the way of a nonsensical argument anyway. The sale of 501 Lake Ave. makes perfect sense from a public policy perspective. Will it pass on March 12th? We’ll have to wait and see. It all depends how informed or misinformed the public is.

Now to the candidates.

And this will be brief.

Worth Noting! Everyone has to form their own conclusions and vote the way they wish.

First up, the race in District 2.

Further below is a look at the District 4 race,what can only be called an utter mess.

In the District 2 race what is most striking is how little money has been raised by Hardy’s challenger. Candidate Cathy Turk raised well under $1K in campaign contributions the entire month of January. Why this does not help is one of Turk’s criticisms of Hardy is his lack of commitment to this City. But frankly campaign contributions, as much as the public decries money in politics, is a way to gauge a candidates’ support from the public and business community.

A lot of people pay very close attention to campaign contributions and expenditures. And FYI: the last day to make a campaign contribution is on March 7th, the last Thursday prior to election day.

We’ll learn more about Hardy’s support thus far when his treasurer report is posted. And take note the next set of campaign treasurer reports, the G1 Report, will be available soon; in about two weeks.

And just like in 2017 and 2018 an endorsement in The Palm Beach Post will most likely be a non-factor. The endorsement for Hardy in 2017 was a ‘no-brainer’ and the editor(s) called it a toss-up between Commissioner Herman Robinson and Maryann Polizzi. Herman won running away in 2017. And in 2018 the Post endorsed Sarah Malega over Commissioner Scott Maxwell. Maxwell won running away too. It’s for that reason endorsements in the Post are “For Entertainment Only”.

But endorsements DO MATTER. Malega put much stock into the Post endorsement while Maxwell was lining up political endorsements left and right. Just one endorsement from a County Commissioner or a state representative can make all the difference in the world. Lining up political support way before an election is the key.

If you recall, Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso was unopposed in March 2018 and Drew Martin from the Loxahatchee Sierra Club suffered a humiliating defeat last year in trying to unseat Mayor Pam Triolo. Recall that only a Riviera Beach councilwoman under an ethics probe received less a percentage of the vote than Drew Martin did. But it was close. Just a few percentage points.

So when those mailers start rolling in first look for the endorsements. That will tell you a lot.

The Lake Worth Herald usually makes endorsements and they are usually very short and to the point. The ‘entertainment’ in the Herald is usually provided by the irascible “Pelican Pete” at Lake Worth Beach who just happens to more irascible than usual this year at one of the electeds in particular on the ballot. But after Election Day that ornery pelican takes great effort to calm the waters off Lake Worth Beach.

Now to the race in District 4.

What a mess.

This election will most certainly end up in a run-off election to be held on March 26th.

There are four (4) candidates in this race. The last time William Joseph ran for election in 2017 he got just over 8% of the vote. But then-Mr. Hardy won anyhow and defeated a former commissioner in a three-man race. You know, that former commissioner, the one with the PhD.

The first challenger to take on District 4 Commissioner Herman Robinson was Mr. Tom Copeland last September. He seemed a strong challenger at the time and he did well at the Lake Worth Playhouse debate but he also has fallen way off the pace when it comes to campaign contributions. As it is now he is well behind Commissioner Robinson.

It was always the consensus since October when William Joseph entered the race, if it came to a run-off election, it would be Copeland vs. Robinson. But now it looks as if it will be Guercio vs. Robinson even though Richard Guercio was very late in entering the race just last December. Guercio is now ‘tearing the cover off the ball’ when it comes to campaign contributions. Guercio raised $800 more than Robinson last month and including a $3K loan from himself Guercio is poised to make a big impact in the next four weeks.

Guercio, like Copeland, is still far behind Robinson in campaign contributions and it’s too early to tell if Guercio’s “Big Mo” is big enough to be the tipping point. The next campaign report coming up, the G1, will tell us a lot. But the big unknown is the “ground game”: Who can muster up the most feet on the ground to knock on doors and wave campaign signs on Election Day. It could be Robinson vs. Guercio or Robinson vs. Copeland. Or the long shot, Commissioner Robinson wins outright and ends the whole thing on March 12th.

On that topic Guercio’s expenditures show a lot of yard signs, campaign literature, “Vote for Guercio” shirts and about $3.5K to what seems to be a very competent campaign consultant. Commissioner Robinson also has a very competent campaign consultant as well and one with a record of success here in this City. So stay tuned as they say.

The best of all outcomes is we have two winners on Election Day and no run-off election on March 26th.

In conclusion. . .

On March 12th take a deep breath. Think long and hard on the way to your polling location about the pros and the cons and cast your vote accordingly on Question #1, “Yes” or “No” on changing the name of this City to the “City of Lake Worth Beach”.

The week prior to the elections will post the location of each and every voting location here in this City with the directions, where to park, including instructions on which door you use to get in.

And please gather as much information as you can and learn why voting “Yes” for Question 2 is a very good idea.

Both Cathy Turk and Commissioner Hardy are admirable people. Hardy’s win in 2017 was no fluke and Turk’s work on the Planning & Zoning Board was exemplary. Whomever wins will win and what’s done is done. And hopefully the tone will quickly shift the evening of March 12th with a congratulatory call from whomever loses, a call congratulating the winner which is customary.

Because the race in District 4 will most likelycarry on past March 12th.

In what can be one of the most devastating things for a City to ever experience will likely be a run-off election on March 26th. With so many new and recently-new residents to this City many have never experienced a run-off.

But many long-time residents recall well what a run-off election can be. It’s not fun. Two candidates and two campaigns fighting endlessly for two weeks non-stop. Two more weeks of yard signs, mailers and knocks on the door and what you have left afterwards is a bloodied and bruised winner who has to try and pick up all the pieces.

So that’s why this City of Lake Worth needs another referendum on the ballot next year, a referendum to eliminate run-off elections.* Make it winner take all on Election Day. And that would also go a long way in making sure the field does not get flooded again with candidates that don’t care whether or not they win.

Just like what happened in the District 4 race this year. And what happened in District 2 race back in 2017 too.

Recommended viewing at your convenience. . .

The YouTube videos from the South Palm Park neighborhood candidate forum.

The candidates from L–R are incumbent District 2 Commissioner Omari Hardy and challenger Cathy Turk; next are District 4 candidates Tom Copeland, Richard Guercio and incumbent Commissioner Herman Robinson (candidate William Joseph was absent).

The next candidate forum will be held on Monday, Feb. 18th, 7:00, at The Beach Club bistro located at the municipal golf course at #1 7th Ave. North. Make plans to get there early for a good seat.

Public events such as this are courtesy of The Beach Club. So please show your support for this venue and the food and service is spectacular as well.

*If you are interested in learning more about what happened in 2006, when four candidates ran in
District 2 back in 2006, click on this link. The run-off election that followed has haunted this City for thirteen years.In other words, make your choices wisely on March 12th, 2019.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Worth Noting: Today’s meeting of the Tree Board will be held at the City Hall Annex located at 414 Lake Ave. (also the location of the Downtown Cultural Plaza).

This meeting will begin promptly at 5:30 today.

Please come out and welcome Anna Tedesco Santacroce and Chris McVoy, PhD, the newest members of the Tree Board!

The staff liaison for the Tree Board is Mr. Dave McGrew. As was noted recently on this blog, Chris McVoy, PhD, a former commissioner in District 2 was appointed to the Tree Board by Mayor Pam Triolo. Welcome back, McVoy!

At today’s meeting it may be a good idea to briefly review the Sunshine Law for the newest members of the Tree Board.*

The Road Rascals car show is the second
Thursday of the month from 6:00–9:00. Below is more information and
photos from a recent show at the Lake Worth Casino and Beach Complex.

However, for many residents of this City, there is very unwelcome news. Last week at City Hall a mob showed up and took control of a City Commission meeting. In what was supposed to be a discussion about how to use proceeds from the County’s ¢1 sales tax increase this ‘discussion’ was instead dominated by a group that wants to spend millions of dollars for a brand new pool at the Lake Worth Beach.

Hopefully soon another public meeting will be scheduled for everyone to make their voices heard on using proceeds from the sales tax increase the voters approved by referendum in November 2016. So stay tuned for more information about that.

In the meantime for Valentine’s Day when you go to the car show at the Beach tonight imagine. See visions of that open space next to the Casino. Close your eyes and envision.

As it is now at this monthly car show the road in front of the Casino is closed to make room for this event.

Now imagine that open space to the south of the Lake Worth Casino and Beach Complex where a condemned pool used to be. Think of all the things that space at the Beach can be used for?

An outside movie theater, skate park, additional parking and more ADA spaces, shuffleboard or regulation Pickleball courts, a area with sand for horseshoes and volleyball and exercise classes, a splash park with cabana pool, or maybe even just an open space for public events? The ideas are limitless.

Pull quote:

I [Maryanne Webber] think Lake Worth is so diverse, so trendy and quirky. When we started (the festival) we were trying to change people’s perception of it.” Bruce Webber [Maryanne’s husband] recalls that at the time the festival began, “half of Lake Avenue was empty. [emphasis added] We wanted people to know this was a fun, quirky town rather than a dirty, seedy one.”—News by Streeter datelined August 13th, 2014, published in Palm Beach Post.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

FYI: The Lull officially ends tomorrow, Thursday, February 14th, the halfway point in February

Briefly, before we get to the “Lull”, there has been an interesting development one could say. Downtown West Palm (a city without a beach) is getting its first medical marijuana dispensary. And today marks one year five months and seventeen days since the last editorial about this City of Lake Worth (with a Beach!) was published in The Palm Beach Post.

That’s right. The last editorial the editorial board penned about this City was in August 2017. For some perspective, that was prior to Hurricane Irma and prior to Drew Martin running for mayor.

Why is this an interesting development about medical marijuana in West Palm? Continue reading this blog post today and once you’ve finished scroll back up and click on this link. And, as always, Thank You for visiting once again!

Now back to our regularly scheduled program today. And learn about the “Lull”.

A list of items need to be regularly debunked ahead of each March election season. And below is one of the most popular: stirring up fear about smoke coming from a crematorium.

This one can really rile up the public. Not quite as much as the mythical ‘sanctuary city’ nonsense but it’s up there. When the ‘smoke crisis’ — also reported as a “shroud over the downtown streets” — first was released it set off a panic and this silliness took weeks to smack down. At first a lot of people believed what they heard. Until they learned the facts.

Other examples of things that need to be regularly debunked are candidates and door knockers claiming the municipal golf course will be sold to make way for condos. False. Or maybe someone will suggest the Gulfstream Hotel be sold by the City of Lake Worth. The City cannot sell something it does not own. And another really popular one is that the City is removing mangroves along the Intracoastal. Also false but a very effective one when trying to confuse the public.

Mid-January to mid-February is a tricky time for the public. For example, this is the period of time called the “Lull” when the editor(s) at The Palm Beach Post are under pressure to sell more newspapers. Do you remember the ‘Curfew’ that never happened? That one really rocked the City. But in the end the public learned the facts.

The public needs to be aware. . .Without further ado. . .

“How can a crematorium be allowed just down the street from an elementary charter school in Lake Worth!”

First, it’s very important to understand that crematoriums are regulated by the Dept. of Health, not local city governments.

Later in this blog post are excerpts from an article published in the Post titled, “Smoke complaint at Lake Worth Crematorium gets health review”; it’s this news that had people wondering:

How can a crematorium be allowed just 0.4 miles (about 2000′) from an elementary charter school?

Why? Because the crematorium was there first.

That charter school located at 1200 N. Dixie Hwy. (for reference the school located across the street from the medical marijuana dispensary Curaleaf Lake Worth and the Marijuana Doctor next door) is a school that opened up many years after a crematorium was constructed at 730 N. Dixie Hwy. If the people who opened that charter school back then were concerned about a crematorium nearby they could have found another location on Dixie Hwy. or maybe another site in the City.

Crematoriums are in the City of Lake Worth because, at one point in our City’s history, there was nothing stopping crematoriums to operate a business in Lake Worth.

The zoning has been changed and crematoriums are no longer permissible under our zoning code.

However, crematoriums already in operation at the time were “grandfathered in”, meaning they can operate only as long as they continue to pay their tax bill, utility bill, etc., keeping up-to-date with the City in general. If the business fails to comply they will lose their business license.

The operators of the facility at North Dixie Highway and Eighth Avenue North, were asked to provide
the health department with a report about a malfunction at the
crematory. Comments posted on on Facebook said that black smoke could be
seen from outside the facility Wednesday afternoon [3/22/17].

and. . .

“I’ve gone out there and pounded their door down,” he [City
resident ■■■■■■■ ■■■] said. “There’s something profoundly wrong
when (the crematories) emit that much smoke. … It’s a public safety
hazard.”

Below is what another very creative Post reporter wrote back in 2015 about smoke coming from a crematorium. But unlike reporter Julius Whigham’s approach, this reporter took a more stirring, thrilling, quite lively, captivating, and quite entertaining view of that particular incident:

“The thick black smoke was hard to miss. It curled into the sky, swallowing the tops of palm trees and tumbling down like a shroud over the downtown streets. . .”.

So. Anyhow. . .

If you see any smoke at all coming from a crematorium or are concerned about a local crematory call 561-840-4500 or contact the Palm Beach County, Florida, Dept. of Health. If you wish to schedule an appointment to discuss this matter, call 1-855-438-2778, or use this link. Another option is to write a letter to:

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

The William Joseph campaign was spotted on the campaign trail recently in the Whispering Palms neighborhood in District 1 (see image below).

The Whispering Palms neighborhood is west of Dixie Hwy., east of I-95, and south of 12th Ave. South to the border with the Town of Lantana. Whispering Palms recently became part of the City’s “Adopt A Street” program. Learn about that at the end of this blog post and more information worth noting:

Please note the municipal elections on March 12th are City-wide. All voters in all four Commission districts will determine the new elected officials in Districts 2 and 4. And whomever is elected on March 12th will serve a three-year term. However, if no one reaches the threshold of 50% + one vote in District 4 on March 12th there will be a run-off election between the two highest vote-getters on March 26th.

In District 2 it is challenger Cathy Turk vs. incumbent Commissioner Omari Hardy: the most votes wins.

Two recent developments: District 4 candidate Mr. Joseph was a no-show at the South Palm Park neighborhood assoc. candidate forum last evening. All the other candidates showed up and it was a healthy exchange of ideas. There was no “war of words” which is how some are trying to portray this election season. In fact what is so remarkable this year is how civil things have been when compared to elections in the past.

Now back to Mr. Joseph and his campaignfor the District 4 seat.

Joseph is in a packed field. The incumbent is Commissioner Herman Robinson and candidates Tom Copeland and Richard Guercio.

In order Mr. Copeland entered the race first for District 4 in September last year, followed by Joseph in October and then Guercio entered the race last in December. Having four candidates on the ballot this year means there will almost certainly be a run-off election on March 26th.

The election results in March 2017.

Commissioners Omari Hardy and Herman Robinson both won outright avoiding a run-off election:

Note William Joseph ran in the District 2 race in 2017. This year Joseph is running in District 4. With four candidates on the ballot in District 4 this year expect a run-off election on March 26th.

Worth noting is Mr. Joseph was also a no-show last January at the candidate forum held at the Lake Worth Playhouse. Mr. Joseph’s campaign manager will be interested to learn about more candidate forums coming up prior to Election Day on March 12th:

Parrot Cove neighborhood on Monday, Feb. 18th, 7:00, at the Beach Club bistro located at the City’s municipal golf course.

“William Joseph for Lake Worth City Commission”: For more information about this candidate in District 4 click on this link.

About the City of Lake Worth’s new “Adopt A Street” program:

One small step for a neighborhood, one giant leap for a city. Congratulations to Whispering Palms neighborhood association for getting the City of Lake Worth to embrace the “Adopt A Street” program, a strategy to encourage residents to keep the streets in their neighborhood clean. We invite you to join this program by contacting the City of Lake Worth’s Public Services Dept.

The Public Services Dept. is located at 1749 3rd Ave. South and is open Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. For more about the Adopt A Street program call Public Services at 561-586-1720, or if you wish, contact your elected representative on City Commission and request to become a part of the Adopt A Street program here in the City of Lake Worth.

Lake Worth considering downtownparking garage

This headline and story appears in the print edition, below the fold on p. B1 and jumps to p. B4. On the front page are two decidedly negative quotes in opposition to a new parking garage which is to be expected. On the jump page there finally comes a quote in support:

“I think parking between Lake Avenue and First Avenue South will buffer the Downtown Jewel Neighborhood Association,” she [Barbara Resch] said. “We can do it creatively and it doesn’t have to be hugely tall. Parking is needed.”

Also quoted in the story is a former commissioner. The reporter, however, neglected to mention that Chris McVoy has a PhD. One reason why Chris McVoy, PhD, is a former commissioner is because the editor called him a “gadfly” two years ago in the endorsement for current Commissioner Omari Hardy.

And then there is this quote by City Manager Michael Bornstein:

“There’s nothing nefarious here.”

To learn more about how non-nefarious this story actually is, at the end of this blog post is a video of Bornstein explaining what is happening. In fact, most if not all of the quotes in the Post come from the City’s YouTube video from last Tuesday.

The vote at the City Commission was 4-1 in favor with Hardy in opposition. So now both the former and current commissioner in District 2 oppose a parking garage in the Downtown. Makes one wonder what the formerly former District 2 Commissioner Cara Jennings thinks about this development.

For more information about this issue. . .

Below is the news in last week’s Lake Worth Herald and also last week there was a very brief news account on the TV news by WPTV’s Tania Rogers as well.

Here is the headline in the Herald above the fold on the front page last week:

CRA to Get Sales Tax Dollars for Parking and Development

In the accompanying photo was this caption:

The CRA now has the money to acquire the properties to the south of their
existing parking lot and develop a parking garage.

Support LOCAL small town journalism.

LOCAL journalism matters.

For subscription rates and more information call the editor at 561-585-9387 or send an email to: Editor@lwherald.com

The major story last week in Lake Worth Herald is below. A good summary of what is going on. At the end of this blog post is a YouTube video of a significant portion of the meeting where this topic was discussed at the City Commission.

This topic became news on WPTV last week which is about as helpful as trying to explain the quantum field theory in about thirty seconds.

But Director Joan Oliva of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) did her very best. To see that news report datelined Wednesday, Feb. 6th click on this link.

Here is a short excerpt from that news report on WPTV:

Joan Oliva, Executive Director for the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency told WPTV parking in the downtown area can be a problem.

"We hear over and over again from the downtown property owners specifically the merchants that there are not enough places for parking,” said Oliva.

Once again sadly this issue presented an opportunity for political grandstanding at the Lake Worth City Commission. And worse yet, there are two more scheduled Commission meetings coming up on February 19th and March 5th.

But because terms for elected officials are now three years there will be no election of candidates in 2020. Hallelujah! Hang on folks, March 12th is Election Day. That is only twenty-eight (28) days away and after that everything will return to normal.

Briefly, before we get to the Herald what happened is Mayor Pam Triolo was late in arriving. The Commission meeting began at 6:00 and the mayor took the gavel from Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso at 8:00. Prior to the mayor’s arrival there were several motions and votes that took up a lot of time due to split 2-2 votes. Taking an agenda item off Consent is usually a very easy thing to do.

But anyhow. . .

The public once again had to sit through another display of political theater which is very unfortunate because presentations and proclamations many came to see were delayed including the much-anticipated one for Messrs. Kevin Addison and Sam Hamilton.

Finally it was decided, with help from City Attorney Glen Torcivia and Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso, to move the item on the Consent Agenda to Item C under “New Business”:

Interlocal Agreement with CRA for acquisition and development of downtown property for a public parking area.

What became Item 12C finally passed on a 4-1 vote at 9:30 with Commissioner Omari Hardy being the lone “No” vote.

Now on to the news in The Lake Worth Herald, two substantial excerpts:

After several attempts
to pull the item from the
consent agenda, the CRA
and City have an agreement
approved by the City
Commission. Several people
were upset the item was
on the consent agenda and
attempts to remove it met
a roadblock at a vote of 2-2,
Mayor Pam Triolo was not
in attendance.The Interlocal Agreement
provides funding to
the CRA for the acquisition
and development of
downtown property for the
purpose of a public parking
area in the amount of
$547,140.The City has been partnering
with the CRA to
acquire and assemble parcels
in and around the
downtown area in order to
provide for public parking
areas and future development.
The city believes
parking areas are needed
to stimulate investment
and redevelopment in the
downtown area.The CRA has purchased
16 S. L Street, the property
adjacent to two CRA-owned
parking lots. In partnership
with the City, the CRA was
purchased lots 24, 26, 30 and
32 S. L Street. These rental
units were owned by one
individual and bought as a
bulk purchase. In October
of 2018, the City and the
CRA also purchased 17 S. M
as well as 23 S. M.The CRA owns 1.40
acres in the Downtown
area. According to City staff,
this assemblage of properties
could provide desired
and needed public parking
spaces, and an opportunity
for a redevelopment project.
In an effort to assemble
downtown properties to
provide for future parking
and development needs, the
CRA proposes to purchase
two properties at 1st Avenue
South and K Street, just
south of the City-owned lot
at 19 S. K, with sales tax
funded money from the
City. The City-owned lots
are 0.5424 acres and the two
additional lots, if purchased, include a total of 0.18 acres,
for a total of 0.722 acres or
31,450 square feet.The acquired property
in this area gives the City
enough area to build a
future parking garage on
K Street and provide additional
public parking
called for in the recent
parking study conducted by
WGI. The L and M Street
properties can be developed
for additional housing and
commercial units.City
Manager Michael Bornstein
said, “The addition
of residents and supporting
businesses will spur further
growth in the downtown,
increase activity for our
local businesses and provide
much needed units
within walking distance
to the downtown further
enhancing the walkable,
livable lifestyle for which
Lake Worth is known.”

and. . .

The agreement between
the City and the CRA includes that the transferred funds
and purchased
parcels must be utilized
consistent with the requirements
for the City’s surtax
funds or the
CRA will be required to
transfer the surtax funds
back to the City or transfer
the parcels to the City.The City agrees in the
Agreement to process the
moving and/or demolition
of the existing structures on
the parcels to be purchased
by the CRA in accordance
with the City’s code of ordinances
for such structures.
Further, the parcels will
revert to the City when the
CRA dissolves.

To read the entire article you can pick up the print edition at the City’s newsstand located at 205 N. Federal Hwy. The Herald is still just ¢50.

And lastly here is a YouTube video of City Manager Michael Bornstein explaining the situation quite succinctly prior to the vote which was 4-1 in favor:

Hope you found this information helpful and as always, Thank You for visiting once again.

This podcast is a very interesting one. This latest episode is just over thirty-one minutes. See the link below to begin listening today. These podcasts from Gatehouse Media are posted every Thursday around noon. So stay tuned for another episode in a few days.

A question:

For long-time readers of The Palm Beach Post does the name John Kennedy sound familiar?

Briefly, how we got here. Gatehouse Media took over at The Palm Beach Post in May 2018. The Post had been on the market since November 2017 after a series of just terrible decisions by the owner and the editorial board. For example, there was the dragging-of-feet coming to realize the full extent of the
sober home crisis, then no endorsement for President of the United
States in Nov. 2016 and then in Dec. 2016 the editor at the Post unceremoniously shut down the Post’s Tallahassee News Bureau which was manned by long-time political correspondent John Kennedy.

Now John Kennedy is the State Capital Bureau Chief for Gatehouse Media which owns The Palm Beach Post. On Kennedy’s Twitter feed it says he, “Enjoys fine irony.” Very apropos one could say.

So when word got out in late 2016 the Post was going to be put up For-Sale it surprised no one.

Welcome back, Mr. Kennedy!

And of note the Post reported recently that President Trump will be at the Winter White House in the Town of Palm Beach on Monday, Feb. 18th in honor of President George Washington’s birthday, held annually the third Monday in February, a day also called Presidents Day. Or is it President’s Day? Or is it Presidents’ Day?

To the podcast this week.

With host political journalist George Bennett of The Palm Beach Post, Sarasota Herald-Tribune politics editor Zac Anderson and Gatehouse State Capital Bureau Chief
John Kennedy these political journalists talk about,